The sergeant major spoke to students in the Army Junior ROTC program
at T.C. Williams High School, known for marching in President Barack
Obama's 2009 inauguration parade and for the film “Remember the Titans,”
based on the 1971 merger of the city's three public high schools.

Battaglia told the cadets that he and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey,
chairman of the Joint Chiefs, got the idea for today’s visit when they
used the school's football stadium recently to film a Super Bowl message
to be broadcast to service members overseas. He commented on the Junior
ROTC Cadet Creed that is on display at the school.

“If you
follow that as gospel, it tells me that you are living by standards and
rules for yourself and have some goals or objectives for yourself,” the
sergeant major told the cadets. “And it also shows me teamwork.”

Using a PowerPoint presentation, Battaglia showed the cadets the U.S. military's oath of enlistment.
“We, in the military, have oaths and creeds as well,” he said. “This is
our oath. We all take it. I took that oath 33 years ago.”

Battaglia noted that the cadet creed and the enlistment oath have common
denominators. “We all live by an oath, by a creed, and things that
guide us along the way,” he said. “That's pretty amazing.” All 2.3
million troops and their families live by the same oath, he added.

“I hope that as you may have memorized it and know it by heart, it
means more than just being able to say it by memory,” Battaglia said.

“There's a whole lot of substance in there, and it's really important
for you to understand, as it is for us -- because what that means to us …
is that I'm willing to give my life for the protection of you. That's
pretty serious, isn't it?”

The sergeant major said when he
reflects on what the oath of enlistment means, it's “a whole lot more
than just a paragraph of words.”

“So I really hope that you can
comprehend your creed … as establishing a standard and value for you to
get better and grow into being contributors,” Battaglia said. “Whether
it's just contributing to your neighborhood or the whole city, youth are
the next leaders of our nation.”

No other job requires the oath
service members take, the sergeant major said. “It's a serious
profession that you join, and you're starting to [build] that footprint
right now,” he told the cadets. “I'm happy to see and hear that, because
you are the future of our nation.”

Battaglia said he believes JROTC is a “great stepping stone” to continued success in life.

“Regardless of whether the armed forces is your choice, you're going to
have to survive in life,” he said. “There are so many options and
opportunities out there for you.”

The sergeant major said he has
tried to follow two “golden” rules throughout his life: to do his job to
the best of his ability, and to follow orders.

“I found that those two golden rules allowed me to stay out of trouble … and avoid temptation when that came about,” he said.

Following his remarks and a recital of the Junior ROTC Cadet Creed by
one cadet, the group asked the sergeant major questions about his
military career, including his 25 ribbons. Battaglia said seeking
recognition and awards is not important, because they will come with
hard work and commitment.

“The thing that I probably learned
[most] in the infantry is teamwork,” he said. “You just can't do it
alone -- there's no way. And that's not just fighting for your nation.
That's doing anything. You just don't want to do it by yourself. It's
all about teamwork.”